View source for 683/Hyakki Yagyou: Night Parade of One-Hundred Demons

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2023/10/30
|Location=Juuban Ward
|Synopsis=The Night Parade of One-Hundred Demons is about to begin. For the first time in centuries, the youkai will be marching from their Spirit City into the physical realm... Unless the local defenders and also a cat have anything to say about it!
|Cast of Characters=81,30,57,38,145,43,27,136
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:81|Himeko Soryuu (81)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It has been a long, long time since the Night Parade of One-Hundred Demons has encroached upon the 'real world'. Sometimes, through strange circumstances someone may wind up witness to it, or find themselves caught up in it. Very rarely, there is sufficient interaction that the youkai become aware of the mortal observers and from there... Well, it really all depends on how the youkai are feeling. Dark Energy in miasmatic form has been thickening in the streets of Tokyo for weeks now, and youkai have become more noticeable, more ''present'', and people are noticing it and reporting it. As belief in and fear of youkai has increased steadily, they have gained power, life, and this has led to yet more youkai interference in the lives of mortals.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It's a cycle that has begun because a former kami has started to become something else, and her own story has become a world unto itself: A story from centuries or even millennia agok, when spirits walked the land openly, and gods would sometimes make an appearance to create legends with even their most minor actions, which have reverberated through to the present day.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;That age of mystery is being brought back. Temporarily or permanently? Unknown.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;But there are creatures up and down the streets, scattered around. A winding worm-like creature wrapped around a lamp post, a squat one-eyed, one-horned creature leading a procession of successively smaller replicas of itself along the sidewalk... A white-haired, white-skinned, red-eyed woman in a red dress and wide-rim hat, with a red umbrella in hand to shield her further from sight. A tree has grown up out of somebody's yard, with a child's hand, red and dripping, dangling from a branch by a rope, and the tree waits for someone to approach its lure with its root-like legs coiling beneath the earth in anticipation.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;No one has been hurt yet.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;But this is not a safe place for normal humans to be.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Fog, the darkness of night, and the miasma of the Dusk Zone, all have come together to create a murky, spooky, seasonally appropriate supernatural once-per-year monster mash event.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Join in or get off the street.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:30|Kureha Senkenzan (30)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Something's itching in the back of Kureha Senkenzan's mind. She finds herself pacing, wandering the Chikafuji estate. She feels restless. Like something is... off. Wrong. Like she's smelling something on the wind, except it's not a smell, just... a feeling. A feeling that makes her right hand tingle a little, two specific spots on her head itch.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Maybe it's subconscious intuition that drives her to act. Maybe it's just a need to get out of the house when she feels like this. But before she can even really think about it, Kureha finds herself stepping out onto a balcony in the house, making a quick glance to ensure nobody's looking, and leaping out into the night as fire envelops her.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Slow though the Youkai Musume is compared to other magical girls, she has the raw strength to leap high in the air - to shortcut across the skyline. That lets her reach the haunted streets fairly quickly; and as soon as one geta touches blacktop, she finds herself instinctively tense, on guard. "...a fell odor on the air..." Onihime mumbles to herself.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:57|Guardian Daifuku (57)}} has posed:'''<br>Not so long ago there was a Bakeneko that had arrived amid the miasma of apparent ghosts marching along. The latter part of which wasn't revealed until the end when someone, attempting to be helpful, had cast a light that brought the sight of spirits to the eyes of many magical folks who had gathered to investigate. Though she had been just Chiyo at the time this was an event that Guardian Daifuku remembered. Remembered, and spoke to her own guardian spirit about. Something was stirring among the spirits of old.<br><br>She'd taken it upon herself to start patrolling in the evenings and while there was still that sensation of impending *SOMETHING* coming it had been relatively quiet. At least until tonight.<br><br>Guardian Daifuku doesn't even bother to attempt to hide herself tonight as she stands atop the roof of a house with a flickering flame dancing along the top of her hammer-staff to light her way.<br><br>"It's tonight, isn't it, Bonito? Whatever's going to happen will be tonight." The flame seems to respond by surging higher, brighter, only to drop down again to it's prior height. The sizzling crackle of flame seems to hiss 'yesss'<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:38|Hematite (38)}} has posed:'''<br>And she's not the only one -- Daifuku, that is -- because Hematite's up on a tall thing as well, standing on top of a streetlight and watching the march down below. There's no way he's going to interfere with the demons unless they start hunting humans, and if he gets called on it by anyone in Obsidian, he'll give his usual song and dance about human energy being a precious resource or whatever.<br><br>Let's be real, he's being a UN peacekeeper, and honestly has probably as much power as one if all these youkai decide to object at the same time. He half-turns to look in the direction that so few people ever do anymore, up that hill, but--<br><br>That's not for right now. Right now is this, and Guardian Daifuku across the street on top of a house. He waves cheerfully in her direction, because there's nothing like good cheer to make people uneasy on a seriously haunted night.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:145|Princess of Sarek (145)}} has posed:'''<br>Veronica has been informing herself about the Parade ever since the Nyuudo-Bouzo dropped its cryptic clue. She was quite troubled by how none of them had a useful date for the event. Not that she expected demons to share their calendar, or transmit those news to human, but nobody in the history of ever has recorded a probable date for the event?<br><br>"I guess it would have been too easy if the youkai had fixed occurences for it", Veronica thinks out loud, munching on a protein bar. As it happened, today had been a no day thanks to her curse choosing to act up, so for the duration of it she hasn't exactly been feeling at her best.<br><br>Under the weather as she was, the feeling of dark energy that had permeated the streets for weeks wasn't something that could be ignored (though she felt particularly irritated by it today; is it related to her curse acting up then? she wouldn't be surprised), so she tentatively pinned it due to the Parade happening today.<br><br>The slightly aching Princess of Sarek is out on the streets, watching the parade of youkai that confirms her suspicions, jumping from building to building. No unlucky passersby so far. Let's hope it doesn't change.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:43|Usagi Tsukino (43)}} has posed:'''<br>The world has been an even stranger place than usual, old legends walking the surface, terrifying people with their strangeness, their little cruelties and wickednesses. Usagi has been patrolling Juuban more often lately, trusting the rest of the city to the other magical fighters. It was Juuban that was full of youkai, Juuban that housed the shrine where a part of Himeko-chan was still trapped, and Juuban where her family lived. <br><br>It was Juuban where her little brother mentioned seeing creatures that belonged in comics and cartoons and legends, and Juuban where her Mama and Papa uncertainly glanced at each other over the breakfast table, as if she wouldn't notice. They'd invited her home for a weekend, and their anxieties had been as clear to her as they had been when Shingo was hurt. <br><br>The weird was getting to such a degree that even people like her family could see. And that was ''not'' good. Whatever that last bit of Pyrite was doing... she had to stop. This needed to stop. <br><br>These were just some of the thoughts running through Usagi's mind that night as she patrolled. It wasn't that she was sensing Dark Energy - no, Sailor Moon had absolutely no aptitude for any sensory abilities at all, as psi-null as it was possible for a human being to be - but there was an anxiety in the air, a nervousness. And as she got closer - so many creatures that no longer belonged in their world. Her skin crawled. The hairs on the back of her neck rose. <br><br>In her hand, she clutched a new weapon - a bright pink stick crowned with a golden crescent moon, larger than a hand-width and ''incredibly'' sharp. Yes, she has already cut herself on it, don't worry about it, stop judging her. This weapon was just about the only thing making her feel any better - <br><br>UNTIL RIGHT THIS SECOND! <br><br>"Hematite! Daifuku!!" She hop, hop, hops across rooftops until she's crowded her way onto Hematite's tall thing, smiling at him, already reassured. Maybe she shouldn't be so loud, but that tree with a bloodied hand is already creeping her out, practically begging to taste her new power. Why pretend what's going to happen isn't going to happen?<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:27|Minako Aino (27)}} has posed:'''<br> Minako Aino wasn't exactly as spiritually connected or mystically inclined as a certain firey member of the Senshi, but that didn't mean that even she would miss something this big. <br><br> Was this the sort of thing that required Sailor V? All of the Senshi? Well, if it went bad maybe... but she didn't have that option. <br><br> For now? She'd been staying quiet, low-key, hiding out in an uncharacteristically dark outfit of a black jacket and even a beanie cap to hide her long blonde locks. <br><br> All going well, this little 'parade' would pass and no civillains would be any the wiser. At least Usagi wasn't anywhere near-....wait, who was that yelling? <br><br> Thankful that noone could hear her as she ducks into the first steps of the interior staircase to hide the flare of light that comes muted from under the door. <br><br> A moment later and there was another Senshi 'hop, hop, hopping' towards the meeting.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:136|Kiseru (136)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In the shadows inbetween two buildings, a small source of flame springs up, accompanied by the snap-hiss of a match being struck. A match that burns blue, with a flame that wobbles and cants this way and that as if trying to escape. It is eventually smothered inside of a pocket of darkness. But the blue cinders rise when the pipe the hitodama was put into is given a few puffs. As the smoke of a spectral creature is blown out of the shadows, a throaty female voice says, "Is it all that you hoped for?"<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;An elegant woman in a tight black dress that spreads out along the ground in tendrils of shadow and smoke emerges from the darkness. She seems to practically being levitating, or to be carried along by her dress rather than to be walking. The Kiseru Lady leans casually against the smoke coming from her own pipe as though it were solid, as her eyes slide up and down the street, taking in all the youkai.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She's speaking to the woman in red.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:81|Himeko Soryuu (81)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The white-haired woman in the red dress, with her red umbrella doesn't reply for a few seconds after Kiseru emerges. Her hat is hiding her glowing red eyes, but her snow-white skin and her mysterious smile, are not enough to make someone yell 'youkai' or 'youma' or 'monster' at first glance. "Hmm..." she lets out thoughtfully, as she raises her umbrella a bit, and her head with it, to look at the streets of Juuban.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The parade starts somewhere else.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;But it passes through here, and this is where the Dark Energy has been accumulated in order to make youkai visible to people.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Not quite yet." she finally answers. She raises a hand, with long, sharp fingernails, and snaps her delicate fingers. The sound of the snap echoes out across the night, far louder and covering far more territory than it should. The Dark Energy that has been so thick, so ominously visible, so oppressively ''tangible'' that someone can reach out and touch it... All begins to swirl and condense and spiral into a miniature tornado in the middle of the street. The vortex is ominous in its own way. It is a concentration of the energy of emotion, and specifically a fog bank of it that has been simmering in the juices of fear, panic, confusion, doubt, and anger over the stories of monsters in the midst of mortals.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Much like when a certain ghost stays at her dorm room in Radiant Heart Academy for too long, nightmares, depression, anxiety, urges to self-harm or worse, and terrible accidents, have all been on the rise around and throughout Juuban. Just a little bit.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Enough for someone who has spent enough time around Pyrite to recognize the signs.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And now all of that is being compressed into a smaller and smaller space, an orb in the air. It begins to freeze over rapidly, until it becomes a ball of ice. The ice continues to crack as it is forced to become more and more compact. Splintering, breaking, but always inwards, to its core.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;What's left is a black crystalline object. Black ice, one might call it.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A little sliver of something greater.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:81|Himeko Soryuu (81)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The youkai who were settled in to watch the parade, who had begun to set up food stalls and fireworks shops and festival games, all begin to look uneasy, verging on panic, as the thing that was allowing them to physically exist here is suddenly taken away.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;But the Black Ice Crystal flies to the hand of the one who made it. The Yuki-Onna then says, "I was hoping for something more like... ''This''." She throws the crystal up into the night sky.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It just keeps going up and up, until it can no longer be seen.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;But something red becomes visible. And it grows larger as it comes closer, plummeting towards the earth, and then the massive set of red Torii '''SLAM''' down! The gate is straddling the street, with one pillar plant deep into the ground on each side. A second gate follows before the dust has settled. Then a third. Then a fourth, then many more, much, much faster. Dozens, hundreds, thousands of torii, like those at the Nezu Shrine, where a ghost was swirling together the energies of the living and the dead, in long winding lines through darkness, denoting hills, and rivers, and forests, and other things that aren't there in the present, but here are ''now'' even if only by the shape of their silhouettes.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Far in the distance, above and beyond all of it, a great glowing city that eats up the light instead of casting it, looms over the horizon. Towering walls and gates, over and over, layer after layer, blocking sight of the city itself, but leaving clear to the naked eye the castle that trivializes all of those gigantic structures. It's clearly Japanese in origin. A castle of a Demon King perhaps, or at least a Youkai King? Unknown.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;But it is the Spirit City of the Youkai. And once all the torii have stopped falling, there are long minutes of waiting for the echoes to go away, and then more minutes in silence to realize that they aren't in Juuban anymore. Not wholly, at least. The youkai who were looking worried seem pleased again, and go about their preparations once more, cheering and chattering among themselves.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:30|Kureha Senkenzan (30)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;As more and more people flit across the rooftops and find perches, Onihime turns and glances upward briefly. "I can hear all of you up there," she calls out in a loud voice. "If you're just here to spectate, that's in rather poor taste."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;That's about when the white-haired woman in red snaps.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A vortex of dark energy, a dark ice crystal, and then... something arises. Appears. Descends. A path of torii, leading to a place in the distance that resonates with Kureha in some faint way she can't quite define. Perhaps her distant ancestor was connected with that place in some way. Perhaps it's just like recognizing like. Whatever it is, after a moment spent with her brow furrowed in thought, the oni-blooded girl decides she doesn't like it. Something about it just doesn't sit right with her.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Flames dance along Onihime's arm, and then her leg. She spins herself around, and swings that leg up into the air - before bringing it down so forcefully that the street cracks beneath her feet, and a flickering plume of fire flares out briefly. It's a thunderous ''crunch'' of asphalt and concrete. And then she takes three steps forward, one, two, three.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I don't know just who you think you are. But I am terribly offended that you did not even think to contact me before putting on such a festival in ''my'' city." Her words are for the Yuki-Onna, for the youkai on the street... for anyone who might be listening. She reaches up, and gives her hair an imperious flip, folding her arms in front of herself. "Mine is the blood of Mount Ooe. I am a Youkai Musume, and my name is Onihime. I'll thank you to end this garish display - or else I shall tear down each of these torii myself, and bludgeon you with every one."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:57|Guardian Daifuku (57)}} has posed:'''<br>Hematite was waving cheerfully at her. That was slightly unnerving though so far Guardian Daifuku had at least two interactions with him where things werne't ... bad. They had at least been mostly working toward the same end. The sound of Sailor Moon's voice ringing out calling her as well in greeting snaps her attention away from Hematite just in time to see the blonde fuku-wearing girl launch herself at the same street lamp that Hematite was on. <br><br>It almost garners a laugh from Daifuku as she opts to leap across the street to the rooftop nearest them. Three people were NOT going to fit on a single lamp post but this way she could at least talk without shouting.<br><br>"Hello Hematite. Sailor Moon, good to see you again. Especially tonight," she has to admit as the flames that dance along the mallet of her hammer flicker brighter to cast more light around. As if the light might stave off the sworling miasma of darkness.<br><br>"I've been seeing many youkai around, but so far none of the really dangerous ones." So far. She might say more but another blonde has come into view causing an eyebrow to raise as Sailor Venus approaches as well. "Ah, more of your friends, Sailor Moon? We should probably all stick together tonight. Bonito says something big is coming but he doesn't know what. He's just a fire spirit."<br><br>And as luck would have it? Something big starts to happen. The miasma that is drawn away causes her eyes to widen with surprise as it all just... starts to unfold. <br><br>When the Tori start to slam into the ground she grips her staff tighter using it to help keep her balance--But the nearest tori that slams down is close enough to practically bounce her off the roof. It wasn't like an Earthquake, it was like a trampoline that jolts her a few inches into the air and then she slips on landing right off the tiled edge of the roof with a yelp as she falls to the street below.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:38|Hematite (38)}} has posed:'''<br>His tall thing!! Hematite gets bumped off the top of the streetlight, but considering he has more mass than Sailor Moon, it's a good thing he can both fly and has good reflexes-- he swiftly steadies her, then hovers alongside, looking mildly betrayed. For all of a half second!! before he laughs, "I see you've got a new thing. Looks very sharp! Moon scythe?" He doesn't really pause between the question and a broad gesture toward the house Guardian Daifuku is on. "Shall we join Daifuku or did you have something in-- mind-- uh. Senshi incoming, behind you."<br><br>Then Daifuku's come over and is comfortable, and it's almost enough to get Hematite comfortable too, and he listens-- and he nods. "No no, it's accurate. The youkai are marching tonight, it's a festival--"<br><br>And then even the Thief on the approach, and the oni girl in the street, and the smoking lady in the alley? Suddenly they're absolutely not the point. That ball that's forming, a cold dread settles in the pit of Mamoru's stomach, and he thinks of his sister, his apprentice, his ''sister'' who doesn't-- she's not--<br><br>And then the torii are slamming down and Daifuku just. Falls. Well. He's seen her take a bigger hammering than just falling off a roof, so he's not worried enough for her to ''do'' anything about it, not when Sailor Moon is right ''here''. Sorry Chiyo.<br><br>Hematite puts a hand under one of Sailor Moon's elbows and says with a quiet urgency, "Most people will know to stay indoors on a night like this. They can feel it, they know better. There are always some who won't listen, and there are always some who can't, but this night isn't ''for'' us. We shouldn't be able to ''see'' it. The streets are choked with the dead, Bunny-girl, and all I can do is punch them or throw flowers. Dark energy will just feed them. So--"<br><br>Here, Hematite, strongest soldier of the Dark Kingdom, scoops Sailor Moon up off the streetlight and hovers higher, outside the line of torii but not too far away. "--tell me where to go so you can point whatever you're throwing most effectively! Like last time!"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:43|Usagi Tsukino (43)}} has posed:'''<br>The youkai parade is setting up, others are gathering about, but Sailor Moon's gaze is fixed on Hematite's, grinning at him as he gives her that doe-eyed look of betrayal - even as he floats, exactly as she knew he would. "Moon Stick! And it's definitely sharp, don't poke it! Brand new and everything." <br><br>Or at least, an old thing kept as good as new - it was hard to tell with Luna. She waves cheerfully at Chiyo-chan, wishing her two friends knew each other's identities so this would be easier. "It's a festival, but it's still risky, there's way too many of these guys around here. Tokyo's never ''really'' asleep, even in Juuban!" <br><br>But before they can really get into it, Daifuku is saying something about friends. Sailor Moon twists around. "Eh? Another friend - Venus-chan? I didn't expect you here!" <br><br>Ahahahaha with her cuddled up to her boyfriend whose identity Minako-chan possessed and who definitely didn't approve ahahahaha... she had a feeling that if not for the youkai there might be some danger here. Just a smidge - but maybe not from her friend at all, but from the youkai, so many of them, gathered together, setting up stalls, parading, as if these were the times of old and it was only right and proper for them to drift through the streets still, happy to spirit away anyone who mingled with them. <br><br>It ''wasn't'' right. Even she could feel the chill heaviness of Dark Energy, as the mist swirled and condensed and became simply cold, horrible, awful cold that weighed down the body. <br><br>And then the torii fell, hundreds of them, and Chiyo-chan tumbled from the roof and Onihime roared her challenge to the masses, and Hematite scooped her up, into his arms. <br><br>"They're not supposed to be here like this," she agrees, and clutches the Moon Stick tighter. "Your flowers are ''excellent'', but if you don't mind playing taxi, take me to the head of the parade! Luna says this one can do more than just - you know, crunch stuff."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:27|Minako Aino (27)}} has posed:'''<br> Closer, closer...touchdown similarly to Daifuku where she's not going to occupy the same lamp post. Of course Daifuku had announced her incoming as the blonde in the orange skirt touched down, but her own rise to her feet and breath to possibly admonish Sailor Moon comes with a sudden startled wobble as the extra-dimensional tori start to slam down. <br><br> "Yikes...going to guess they don't have a permit for yokai roadworks." <br><br> Sure enough, at least one creature (in this case Onihime) clearly wasn't particularly pleased! <br><br> "Sailor Moon, what are you doing out here without..." she begins only for Hematite to being to scoop her up with intent to fly away. <br><br> The only reason that Venus wasn't immediately trying to nuke the Dark Kingdom soldier for kidnapping is thanks to a recent conversation with her fellow blonde Senshi. <br><br> "Where the heck are you going?!"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:136|Kiseru (136)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Kiseru Lady inclines her head in acknowledgement after watching the torii fall and the city appear. Her eyes are as cold and unblinking as a snake's. "I see what you mean," she says neutrally. Then there is an oni approaching loudly (is there any other way that an oni approaches?) and the drag that Kiseru just took off her pipe turns into a stream of blue smoke downwards, hitting the ground, and then billowing outwards. It will blow around for a bit, but do no harm. Just obscure vision for the few seconds it takes for the information broker to make her exit.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She's not fighting tonight, and she isn't up for answering questions either. She was just curious.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:145|Princess of Sarek (145)}} has posed:'''<br>Veronica stops jumping around as the Youkai Musume talks to them, her erect figure looking down at Onihime while her cane glistens with moonlight. "You worry not about the designs of other, strong Onihime: it is rather foolish to presume that those who scrutinize now will not join the fight later. We have already fought together, have we not? These Youkai have been most perilous, but the damage is minimal this night, and the source of danger unclear. It would be great shame if we attacked unwisely, and only worsened the situation."<br><br>The Phantom Thief nods towards Hematite and smiles, greeting him as Sailor Moon joins him on his lamppost and ends up throwing him off of it. "Hello, distinguished Hematite, it seems like you rather like mingling with the affairs of Youkai for someone who does not concern himself with these things. Your fair soldier has arrived and joined your side tonight", she winks, before waving at Usagi. "Welcome, Sailor Moon. It is nice meeting you again. I hope we can fight together despite the recent issue there has been among the two of us."<br><br>She notices Guardian Daifuku and smiles at her. "Hello, new friend. I am the Princess of Sarek, it's a pleasure to make your aquaintance." Of course, she has no idea that's Chiyo, but Chiyo should recognise her.<br><br>Veronica tips her hat towards Sailor Venus, and gives her a greeting as well, wondering about the similar uniforms. "Are you of the same group as Sailor Moon?" she asks, ever curious.<br><br>Meanwhile the Torii slam down and Veronica has to keep herself steady by planting her cane among the shingles, maintaining her dignity despite all the quakes. The Spirit City of the Youkai has made its appearance, and the Youkai have been more excited than ever. Not a good sign at all.<br><br>"Well, it seems like this is our cue to intervene, daughter of the Youkai: Let's go mess up some of your relatives", she tells Onihime, worry showing up, before starting to jump towards the beginning of the parade.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:81|Himeko Soryuu (81)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;High on a hill, tucked away in a dark forested patch of a forgotten district, a little girl and her bakeneko companion watch from afar. Ghosts, especially very old ones, can have a very different way of seeing the world around them. Whether it's not experiencing things sequentially, or even perceiving time in a linear fashion, to insanity induced hallucinations that become real due to the line that spirits stradle between the worlds of life and death, to seeing Everything all at once.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In Himeko's case, at least in this instance, it is the latter. She sees Juuban as it is, and the Spirit City as it is, and also how it was, and how Japan was in the past, and the intervening time between each.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Only her little Forgotten District remains untouched. She doesn't have the power to keep it that way anymore. Whatever happens to it will happen. But it isn't being affected by the Night Parade, leaving her on the sidelines, as an observer to everything taking place. The calico cat with her ears twitching at every minor sound and change in the air currents, her big eyes taking everything in that she can see even if it is less than what Himeko can see, lies by the ghost's side at the Soryuu Shrine.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The bakeneko goes, 'mrr. mrrroow!' and then looks to Himeko expectantly.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I don't know," the ten-year old girl who is so much older than that says.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The kitty looks back to the horizon and the glowing city that looms over all, dominating the entire eastern sky. Then she looks back to her companion again.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The teenaged Himeko, with the scar on her left cheek, is sitting there now. She shrugs and admits, "I guess I don't know either."<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;For over three-hundred of Himeko's five-hundred and twenty-three years, she was essentially catatonic. She has no knowledge of the century before the point of catatonia, because it was all shattered and broken over and over and over and over and over until there was no recovering it. It would be like trying to reconstruct a stained glass window from its constituent parts if it had been broken, smashed, ground down into glass fragments, and then scattered to the wind. Even if some of it could be recaptured, there is no way to reconstitute it into what it once was.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;So, are there feelings of familiarity during all this? A feeling of knowing, or witnessing, or something? Sure, probably, though it's all tangled together and impossible to sort, and it all moves at trajectories and angles that are impossible in a sane mind, or even just a living one.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;But she still feels like she ''should'' know something about the parade even if she can't summon up anything useful.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;When she feels the pull of Hematite teleporting, she gives a small little, barely-there, mysterious Mona Lisa smile. "Ganbatte, Onii-chan." she whispers as she reaches over to pet the pretty kitty.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:81|Himeko Soryuu (81)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Meanwhile, the yuki-onna in the red dress, with her red umbrella, turns to regard Onihime from beneath tbe rim of her red felt hat. Then she tilts her head a bit. She holds up one hand, palm open, to show she is holding nothing in it, and then drops the umbrella from her other hand. She smiles at Onihime, paying no attention to the smoke that wreathes them both in cobalt, and replies to the demand to return things to normal with just a few words.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Sorry. I am afraid it is out of my hands."<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The red umbrella on the ground lies there for a moment, then cracks open an eye, and goes spinning through the air towards the fiery magical girl like a circular saw, letting out high-pitched giggles mixed with pbbbbbbttts as it tries to slice through Onihime while its long tongue blows saliva everywhere childishly.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The head of the parade. The place it will begin. That would be... Right outside the gates. Those titanic gates, larger than any that have been built by human hands, that are only the first set in a series of progressively taller and larger gates set in taller and larger walls. Or maybe they're just on an incline. Hard to say when you can't even see how far up the first set goes. Creaking and groaning sounds, the creaking of ancient wood, the repetitious sound of something mechanical moving around inside the walls or somewhere, and a crack of molten firelight, rippling red and gold, and splitting the gates down their middle, mark the first set starting to open.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Wheels turn, ropes coil, chains unroll, creatures whose sole job it is to open and close these gates do their work. Powerful, multi-armed monsters, and masses of very tiny youkai who all work together, and stranger things still. This is their night. Once a year, they hold their parade. They will not be denied just because things are slightly different than usual.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The gates open further and further, slowly, inexorably, the light of thousands of torches and lanterns nearly blinding to look into after the dark of night. The sound of drums begins. Other instruments will join in eventually. But first it's always the drums.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The youkai begin to march forth. Ones with mostly human bodies but elongated necks that writhe like worms and over-sized heads. Youkai who are objects with pieces of anatomy on or protruding from them, like the umbrella that is assaulting Onihime far below. A finely dressed traditional Japanese woman, with her hair done up, but reeking of death, because she is a skeleton, with a mouth full of worms that squirm to free themselves. There are identifiable mythological creatures. Then there are other, even stranger creatures, who defy classification. Shadows like tadpoles but with a single eye, spider-like creatures that walk on two legs, traditional two-horned, sharp-eyed, sharp teethed oni, cats with split tails that walk about on their hindlegs, playing the flute and wearing clothes as a human would, and on and on and on and on.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;They march forth.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;This is their night.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;They will not be denied.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:38|Hematite (38)}} has posed:'''<br>A moment ago, Mamoru got hit with 'distinguished Hematite' and had zero idea of what to do with it. Now, right before taking off with Sailor Moon, he's being lightly accosted by a blonde in an orange-skirted fuku! Who is absolutely not Sailor V, or he would feel ''so awkward'' about what happened at the Dark Agency.<br><br>"Where--?" blinks Hematite, hesitating for a second as he turns to look at Venus. He gives her an honest, lopsided little smile. "Wherever she wants. I'm playing taxi! So in this case, ahead of the parade. Going to teleport, since nothing's flying over the torii. Meet you there, Sailor Venus."<br><br>He's as good as his word, at least when it comes to Usagi, and the two of them slide sideways out of sight. Instantly, they're all the way over at the head of where the parade's about to start, and Hematite shifts his grip on Sailor Moon a little to make it easier for her to manuever without him even coming close to dropping her.<br><br>"Thank you," he says, "for the compliment about my roses~. Hold on tight, because as soon as you shoot, we're teleporting again!" Just like last time, just like when they were chasing the Witch down the streets. It is super crummy to get shot at, especially if Sailor Moon is in front of you instead of behind, but it's also a little too late to offer the safer -- if less dignified -- option of a piggyback ride.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:30|Kureha Senkenzan (30)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I see," Onihime replies to the Yuki-Onna. "Then I suppose I shall have to simply remember your scent."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She doesn't seem to so much as flinch when the karakasa hurtles itself at her. Spinning, slicing, slavering, it doesn't draw anything more than a glance. Fiery eyes following its arc, right up until the last second - and then her clawed right hand snaps up and grabs it, by the edge. There is blood - it's hers. But the edge probably doesn't cut nearly as deep as the youkai itself, or the Yuki-Onna, had hoped. And she doesn't even react to the pain, instead turning a glance up to the Princess of Sarek.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"If you should meet anything that can actually claim to be ''my'' relative, whether it be human or oni, you have my permission to be as rough as you like."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And then, casually tossing aside the umbrella youkai, she breaks into a full-steam charge. Flickers of flame dance in the air around her every now and then, her arms trailing behind her as she bull-rushes at full speed along the torii path. Her full speed might not be as much as... pretty much anyone else here, really. But compared to the average human, she's still swift enough in a dead run, and moreover, she can keep it up near indefinitely. Over long distances, that's worth a lot.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;If she can reach the head of the parade? She doesn't intend to stop. Just a tiny little freight train, running at full steam.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:43|Usagi Tsukino (43)}} has posed:'''<br>"Don't worry, Venus-chan! You can trust him with me," she tries to be careful these days, to not imply that other people can be safe with Hematite, not because she doesn't trust him, but because she doesn't want him to feel beholden to it, when there are so many other things weighing him down, and all of them might be improved if he fought a magical girl or two. <br><br>She doesn't have time to reassure her friend, though. There's the drums, the rush of noise that calls the parade to begin, and it's not that Sailor Moon truly believes their handful can hold back the parade of a hundred demons. <br><br>But these demons are not the sort that must have been walking the city last year, or the year before, or the year before then, or any of the years going back a hundred, if not more. These were demons as solid and real as they had not been for ages, from before her grandmother's mother would have been young. <br><br>And they could definitely not be trusted to walk her hometown! <br><br>So Sailor Moon clings to Hematite as he teleports them in close, high up above, and she sucks in a quick, fortifying breath, and grips the Moon Stick tight. Luna had told her the words, and what they would do. <br><br><span style="color:#ff5fdf">"Moon Healing Escalation!"</span> <br><br>It's a good thing she's held in a princess carry, at Hematite's front, his face tucked behind her head, his arms cradling her but otherwise kept back - because Sailor Moon dips and twists in his grip, cutting a circle of golden light that hangs around her into the world, glittering dust, like moonshine sprinkled over the world, flowing in the wake of her gleaming weapon. When the circle is complete, beams of light blaze from empty gap in the Moon Stick's core, blazing out over the parade. Balls of white light fly free, dropping onto the gathered demons. <br><br>It's a purifying light. A holy light, love and hope and order, setting things to right. It's not the purifying fire of a priestess, but a not-so dissimilar effort to force upon the world a separation, an order of things, youkai with youkai and human with human, and even if the youkai aren't seared, the Dark Energy empowering them will be, should begin wisping away under her power.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:27|Minako Aino (27)}} has posed:'''<br> Crap. There they went! Where was a teleporting love interest for her to get around with when she needed them? <br><br> She was moving, leaping, twisting, surging towards the front of the group with her enhanced speed, but she wasn't going to keep up with the pair as the admittedly impressive display of light and power filled the night. <br><br> Venus? She wasn't here to heal...given the violence already inflicted on Onihime, she was simply here to protect -her- princess as glowing bolts of power dances between her fingers and the 'love me chain' whirls defensively, ready to lash at the first creature that might rush Sailor Moon and Hematite.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:145|Princess of Sarek (145)}} has posed:'''<br>The retort she gets by Onihime drives the point that she marked a touchy point for the flaming warrior, tripping her up. "My deepest apologies about my remark!" And with that she keeps running off, hoping Onihime gets to hear her apologies. She messed up there, and she isn't sure what to do about it right now. Best to keep running for now.<br><br>At the head of the Hyakki Yagyou, there is no Veronica. In fact, she is two buildings behind when the parade starts. On her good days she would have already been there. If only she didn't have to be tormented by her curse today of all days.<br><br>She guesses this distance is as good as anything she can achieve right now. The parade of youkai isn't waiting for anybody, that's for sure. Though with the size of that march and her condition she needs some extra kick. The Princess of Sarek reaches into her hat, where the two relics rest. With their energy boost at her side, it's time to show what the Phantom Thief can do.<br><br>With a snap of her fingers, her hat disappears, fading away over two seconds. The Phantom Thief places her cane onto her left shoulder and she starts reciting, in deep concentration with her eyes closed.<br><br><br><br>"<span style="color:#1338BE">When colour's absence gives escape</span><br><span style="color:#1338BE">To the deeper spirit of the shape,</span>"<br><br>The ground in front of the gate starts rippling, as if it was coated in water, and yet it remains solid, nothing actually changing. The spectacle of the water may distract the parade, but that's not really what it is about.<br><br><br><br>"<span style="color:#1338BE">Then do the clouds like silver flags</span><br><span style="color:#1338BE">Stream out above the tattered crags</span>"<br><br>The moon starts shining, not from above in the sky, but from the ground, pale light rising upwards to meet back its twin in the sky.<br><br><br><br>"<span style="color:#1338BE">And darkened land, and brightening wave,</span><br><span style="color:#1338BE">The moonlight slants through Merlin's cave.</span>"<br><br>As soon as the word "cave" escapes the lips of the Princess of Sarek, an uncharacteristically loud rumble is heard, and the hat of the Phantom Thief reappears, a giant evanescent shape that passes right through the youkai caught in its path, aiming to swallow them all and make them disappear.<br><br>The enormous illusion floats up to the sky and whatever the result, it returns, solid, in front of Veronica's waiting hand, who grabs its brim and places it back on her head with a smirk and a wink towards the other mahous. Youkai who have survived that may yet be damaged by the erosion attempted by the hat.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:81|Himeko Soryuu (81)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Fiery Onihime is on the way!<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Sailor Moon is purifying the parade!<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Venus is rolling up with a love-me-chain to whip the youkai into shape!<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Hematite is not only playing taxi duty but also has tons of Dark Energy to add to the fire--Wait, no, that would make things worse.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Princess of Sarek is trying to make these apparitions... Disappear!<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;All in all, it's not the welcome that the youkai were expecting. They were just going to march through the streets!<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;But the Dark Energy raining down around them, like sparkling obsidian snow, from the now-destroyed Black Ice Crystal, gets wiped away by the purification magic, and the ranks of youkai at the front of the procession get removed from physicality in turn. They look and sound outraged, startled, afraid, confused... Not knowing what's going on, or even realizing they're under attack. Especially not further back. Except for the very tall, most don't have the perspective to see the humans outside the gates, or the traitorous Oni, or the magician with her illusions that become reality, or that chain of light that could probably be used to try to hold the gates closed temporarily if the youkai really try to force their way out...<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;But the second set of gates are opening off at the very back of the procession, to reveal another mob of thousands of youkai, ready to march. This is... Not great, to put mildly.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Though dozens or even hundreds of youkai are now sent back to the spirit world, to try to gather their strength again and hold their parade without crossing into the physical realm or to just lick their wounds and wait for next year with ire and growing resetnment, there are many more on the way. Even if Onihime's burning fists and feet engage them this isn't, you know...<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A solution.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;As if sensing that, a ghost girl rises from her sitting position. The bakeneko by her side looks up at her questioningly from where she lies on her side. Himeko looks back to the cat and just smiles and squints her red eyes a bit and says, "Just a little bit."<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Meanwhile, the Yuki-Onna has made good her own escape, with the umbrella youkai flailing and spinning around absolutely shredding somebody's lawn as it digs ruts in the ground, until a pair of arms rip out of its sides, and it pushes itself up onto its handle. The handle is now a single leg, by the way. It goes helicopter spinning, long tongue dangling, and flies off to bother somebody else.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A towering skeleton, taller than a five-story building, begins making the ground shake as it wanders into view, stepping over other youkai to get closer to the front and find out what's happening.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It's hard to discern expression on a fleshless skull, but it definitely looks unhappy as it reaches out a long boney arm to try to swipe at Hematite and Sailor Moon. Other youkai take that as a sign to fight back as well, and soon needles, umbrellas, ghostfire, long necked heads with sharp teeth that stretch out towards them, hone-onna drawing out their hair pins and turning them into long knives before charging towards the open gates, and birds made of shadows covered in eyes that screech, and other birds that run around on two legs and are taller than a human, but have their heads facing backwards, and on and on and on. Each one is individually weaker than just about any given youma. They aren't from a time when they needed to be part of a death god's super soldier program for making an army that could invade Earth and take it back to pick up where they left off in destroying the entire solar system. These youkai are closer to being nature spirits. They ''belong here''. They ''belong in Japan''. They just... Don't belong in this ''era''.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And they don't realize they just need to go home and have their parade next year instead.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;That's why a girl in an RHA girl's uniform, riding bareback on a giant calico cat, is headed up the road of torii arches, through the shadowed hills from a different time, trying to get to the gates in time to make a difference.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:30|Kureha Senkenzan (30)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kureha Senkenzan is not agile. She can't pull the dextrous, acrobatic dodges of other girls. She has a certain amount of grace that most wouldn't expect from an oni, but that doesn't translate to any kind of skillful, dancelike evasion. What she is, however, is tough. Abnormally so. Weaker youkai just aren't going to do more than sting, even with bladed weapons, and each one that tries will end up regretting it. A rokuro-kubi is grabbed by the neck and swung. A hone-onna takes a short-range burst of fire. It's when an oni lumbers out of the crowd that the horned girl draws herself up, squaring her posture - and gives her hair a contemptuous flip.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She waits for it to swing one mighty fist, and then reaches up to catch it.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Are wild oni not supposed to follow the strongest? Isn't that how it goes?" The tiny girl declares, raising her voice up. Not just for her opponent to hear, but for any other oni within earshot as well. She even leans slightly, as if to peek around her foe at the other towering ogres further on.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Then she grabs hold of the oni's fists with both hands, swings him around, and hurls him through the air at the skeleton. "Any lumbering wall with muscles and horns in this crowd, if you do not give me your assistance in turning back this parade, ''that'' will be your fate!" A yelled order, a ''command'' - and a declaration of authority, of the type that would have been seen on Mount Ooe a thousand years ago.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:38|Hematite (38)}} has posed:'''<br>Right! They are definitely, unsurprisingly, getting defended against. This-- this isn't right. Maybe he should have stuck with his first idea, or-- or maybe just with Moon's, to get rid of the dark energy only. He can do some of that, he can, but that's something he Should Not Do. Instead, he takes advantage of Venus's covering fire and teleports them closer to her.<br><br>"Get the gates!! GET THE TORII!" yells Hematite, courteously away from Sailor Moon's ear and Sailor Venus's person. "Maybe it'll close the door on them! We don't need to kill them, everyone, we just need them to stop walking in the human world!"<br><br>Then he sets Sailor Moon down next to her guardian. He's quieter then, just for Usagi and Venus, "We need to split up. You can either keep purifying the dark energy-- probably a better idea if it doesn't take too much out of you? or go after the gates with your hat, but I'm going after the gates. They're showing up under them, right? I'm gonna try to head off the other mob!"<br><br>And then, in defiance of propriety, he kisses Sailor Moon's cheek!<br><br>And teleports away. Coward.<br><br>Not a coward, though: he's suddenly hovering in the air above the torii in front of the other mob, and he pulls back his hand and <span style="color:#00A60B">THROWS A</span> <span style="color:#828282">BLACK ROSE</span> at that truly ginormous intimidating terrifying red gateway.<br><br>He doesn't wait to see if it works. No: he flies back, holding his cape up in front of him as a shield, and does it again to the next torii, and the next one, and the next, fast as he can.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:43|Usagi Tsukino (43)}} has posed:'''<br>Oh this is not good. Sure, with the power of the Moon Stick and her new attack, she'd managed to disperse so many - but there are so many more. And Dark Energy still rains down. And it is ''their'' night. They have the right to be here. <br><br>But not like this. <br><br>Usagi grits her teeth, leaning away from Hematite's shout even as he politely makes sure he isn't doing it in her ear. "Right!! We can't just get rid of them all, we've got to stop them from coming through -" <br><br>Giant Skeleton Alert. <br><br>Usagi shrieks, leaning backwards, grasping onto Hematite, clinging to him for aid as the giant skeleton reaches out, but after a moment of fright, she manages to pull herself together, even as he makes the call for them to split up. "I'll stay here, and purify them! Even if I can't do it, forever, I'll hold out out as long as I can!" <br><br>And then he kisses her cheek, right there, in front of everyone, and she blushes red as a strawberry and smiles. <br><br>"Everyone, Hematite is right! There are too many to fight! It's not about them ''being'' here - it's about them being here in the flesh! Hey! Youkai! It's not that we don't want you here! But this isn't your era! You can't go parading in the flesh! Come as spirits, and be welcome!" <br><br>Will they even listen to her? Who knows. But she has to try, right? <br><br><span style="color:#ff5fdf">"Moon Healing Escalation!"</span><br> <br>

:'''{{#var:145|Princess of Sarek (145)}} has posed:'''<br>The Princess of Sarek sighs, putting the relics back. She is definitely in a bind now. 'I should have held onto that trump card for later', she thinks getting the hat back on her head. Veronica looks ahead of her, to the parade of Youkai extending as far as the eye can see.<br><br>She could try to fistfight her way through the crowd much like the daughter of the Youkai is doing, but she isn't a juggernaut of physical strength at her best, she just has the usual basic enhancements, and she certainly isn't at her best now.<br><br>And Hematite is also teleporting around like it's going out of style, which let's be frank, it's absolutely impossible. Teleporting is so useful, wishes she had that trick in her arsenal instead of just being able to disregard matter. And he can even hover! Lucky him. Frankly, he looks really cool up there.<br><br>Though, up there... That gives her an idea. She can start from there to put on a big spectacle, as eye-catching as can be, and at least slow down the Parade some. Veronica jumps from building to building, trying to gain as much altitude as possible.<br><br>Once of top of the highest building, she looks down towards the crowd. "Dear audience, for my next trick, I will show you a high-altitute free-fall, courtesy of the gracious Hematite as my inspiration." They probably neither hear not care though, a lone figure on the top of a building, who isn't even especially loud? It would probably be stupid to think anybody is hearing that.<br><br>The Phantom Thief jumps up and diagonally above the crowd as much as she can. Her shining barrier shows up around herself, turning her into a luminous falling star headed straight down towards the midst of the march of the Youkai, her descent a controlled one thanks to her using her misty shimmers to softly blow down. If that's not enough flair added to it, she plans on becoming ethereal once she touches the ground, letting herself disappear from the sight of anyone who can't peek at her with magic.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:81|Himeko Soryuu (81)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Onihime grabbing a youkai by the neck and throwing an oni at the giant skeleton, followed by her challenge, give pause to the Oni present. But the third set of gates are starting to open. The crush of bodies is soon going to become too much to overcome even if they turn and fight. At least they aren't attacking/defending anymore, even as smaller youkai part around them like the tide of monsters that they are.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Venus's covering fire blinds many of the nocturnal youkai, forcing them to shield their eyes, and giving Hematite that opportunity to teleport that he needs. Sailor Moon is set down by Sailor Venus, and the tall, dark, and nerdy Shitennou leader is off on his own mission!<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The red, square arch, with its two pillars planted into the ground on either side of the street, cracks when the rose strikes it. The world shudders as the spirit anchors loosen. As one travels through the torii, one gradually phases through planes of existence, until eventually reaching the Spirit World. They are sequential transdimensional transporters. So it would be best not to still be on the Spirit World side of those torii when enough of them are broken or uprooted to collapse the passage. But it clearly has an affect. The youkai who were setting up shop on either side of the street, and dancing in the street, start packing up or straight up fleeing when they realize this is not going according to plan.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Good, that means they won't be stranding a bunch of peaceful youkai in the human world.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Speaking of which, there is panic on both sides. Not just Sailor Moon is scared here! Her message doesn't seem to be being heard, and the Moon Healing Escalation purifies yet more Dark Energy, making more youkai fade out of physicality but remain as spirits. Even the Spirit City itself may seem to be more distant. The Princess of Sarek turns herself into a falling star, luminous and attention-getting, as she plummets towards the masses of mythological beings. More panic! More attempts to clear out that are impossible unless one is small enough or big enough to navigate the crowd! But she just passes through the ground, and the expected impact never comes. It's still very, very, very distracting and confusing.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In order to facilitate Sailor Moon's plea to the youkai, a calico cat the size of a huge unicorn--I mean small elephant is racing along the path through the torii, crossing over hills that no longer exist in the physical world, through spooky forests where hitodama float and burn cyan with their own wills, and along a road paved in red tiles that ''definitely'' doesn't exist on Earth. Eventually, she bakeneko comes to a stop by Sailors Moon and Venus, while Himeko climbs off the cat's back, and floats down to the ground. Then she nods to the bakeneko, and she nods back to the ghost.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"MRROOOWOOOWWWRR!" the bakeneko lets out. It isn't going to get everyone's attention. But it gets enough of those who can hear it for some of the commotion and struggling to slow down or pause.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Himeko then cups her hands around her mouth, and Sailor Moon's voice emerges, at the volume of a megaphone, repeating her words from earlier. "Hey! Youkai! It's not that we don't want you here! But this isn't your era! You can't go parading in the flesh! Come as spirits, and be welcome!"<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;That isn't going to please all of the youkai. The malicious ones, or the ones who would gladly take an opportunity to frighten or hurt mortals, or those who would enjoy marching and celebrating with humans side by side, but it's no longer much of a choice.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Dark Energy snow that continues to rain down as black ice is thinning out, and the Spirit City is fading away into smoke and darkness like a dream despite still spanning the entire eastern horizon.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:30|Kureha Senkenzan (30)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kureha Senkenzan is not very well-versed in magic, and generally not very in tube with her supernatural senses. But even she can feel the ''shudder'' of reality itself when the torii is damaged by a thrown rose. It's starting to seem like it might be a good idea to head back away, especially with the city itself apparently growing more distant. She starts to slowly give ground, working her way back; but she's still swinging on any youkai that still looks like it wants to cause a ruckus. Some of the bigger ones are probably getting thrown into the near distance.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Of course, she doesn't even realize that she's contributing to the spirit world's 'retreat' just by the nature of her fighting style. Onihime's element is the blazing <span style="color:#ff4500">flame</span>, the fire of a passionate heart blazing up into an inferno at her fingertips. She radiates supernatural warmth just by exerting herself, sometimes tiny little flickers of fire when she pushes her strength. And she occasionally conjures flares or plumes of flame against the stronger, tougher youkai that just won't simmer down.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;All that magical fire and heat is probably doing a good job of clearing out the Dark Snow, at least nearby.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:43|Usagi Tsukino (43)}} has posed:'''<br>The bakeneko that suddenly appears sees Sailor Moon nearly falling off her designated tall thing in surprise, worried that this is another part of the parade - but then Himeko is there, repeating her message at a volume the parade-goers can't miss, and the Princess of Sarek is sparking a panic that will hopefully have them seeing that this isn't the place to be, and Venus is protecting her, keeping the enemy away, and Hemachan's roses are getting put to perfect effect - <br><br>"Daifuku-chan! Use your hammer on the gates, help Hematite out!" <br><br>And then she follows suit herself. She can feel herself tiring - two uses of her new attack in one go, back to back like this, is draining even her energy. It's their motley crew against an entire city. But what else can they do? There are too many youkai. Too many demons, who would hurt people. Too many fables of flesh eating, flesh wanting, flesh hungry creatures to risk letting them out with flesh of their own. <br><br>The hand not occupied with the Moon Stick flies to her forehead, and she throws her body into the throw, hoping she won't tumble to the ground. <br><br><span style="color:#ff5fdf">"MOON TIARA ACTION!</span>" <br><br>Not the healing spray of light beams and dust, but the actual force of her tiara, shaped into pure cosmic energy, into love and hope made physical force, aimed not at the youkai but the torii, seeking to help tumble them. <br><br>And then, still moving with the momentum of her throw, she swings the Moon Stick up, completes the circle - <br><br><span style="color:#ff5fdf">"MOON HEALING ESCALATION!"</span><br> <br>

:'''{{#var:38|Hematite (38)}} has posed:'''<br>Determined, Hematite moves on to the next gate over, trying to close off another entrance/exit point -- he moves fast when he's not straight-up teleporting; his flight involves a fair amount of esCAPEades as he whirls it to shield himself from attack, hiding behind it when things are thrown or shot at him, or when tall things try to stand on ''him''. But it's only the gates he's after. "Go back before you get stuck where you don't belong!" he yells, gesturing. "GO BACK!"<br><br>In the distance, he sees the light of Usagi's attacks in amidst the light of the others, alongside the bellowing bakeneko sound, and he's warmed despite the dark energy snow.<br><br>Another rose, and another, ducking and swerving and teleporting away, he makes sure to stay above the torii or to their sides.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:57|Guardian Daifuku (57)}} has posed:'''<br>Guardian Daifuku had been busy simply overwhelmed by the sheer number of youkai coming through. Some were fighting, some weren't, so it was difficult to tell which ones were actually intending to cause harm from the ones that simply wanted to be here. With the impending opening of the next gate that simply meant there would be another flood of them. A true Night Parade.<br><br>Abandoning the throng she had been attempting to keep at bay from going further with little success, she responds to Sailor Moon's call to help Hematite against the gates themselves. It would be far easier for her to focus on that.<br><br>Unable to teleport she leaps into the air from one lamp post to the next, using a roof here or there, until she comes upon the gates. One last leap into the air has her drawing her Kine two handed over her head as she comes down in front of the left pillar, hard. The wooden mallet impacts with the ground hard enough that it splits. The crevace created races toward the pillar with a hiss of steam erupting---As if there were magma below that had superheated the moisture in the air upon opening, set to destroy the Torii.<br><br>"Hematite don't stay in there long!"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:145|Princess of Sarek (145)}} has posed:'''<br>The Youkai have all been distracted by Veronica's shining star, job accomplished there! Now though it would probably be wiser to run like her life is on the line, because it probably is! She is ethereal, so she would normally be able to pass through matter, but she has never been in a world that was spiritual itself, so she doesn't know how that works here. If the Youkai City is solid enough for her to pass through it, then she employs her usual trick of passing through walls and similar, otherwise she takes the long way round.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:81|Himeko Soryuu (81)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Even if made of crystallized Dark Energy, the form given to it is that of ice and snow. The burning passion of Onihime's powers is definitely boiling away the Dark Snow and Black Ice in a wide area. Thankfully, she's getitng the Yomi out of dodge, because that means that the physical world is becoming more distant around her too, just like the Spirit World. Retreaaaaaat! There are so many youkai who got socked in the face or thrown through the air, you have no idea.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Sailor Moon's tiara shatters several more of the thousands of torii lining that pathway that links Earth and Other. But she's still on the wrong side of that tunnel! As one last purification disperses enough Dark Energy to make the gates retreat into the distance, Himeko hops back up onto the bakeneko and offers to help Sailor Moon, Sailor Venus, and Sarek (if they can see each other. One is a ghost the other is ethereal. They could at least sense each other at the Nezu Shrine) onto the calico's back. The bakeneko then turns and takes off with a mrrt and a wave of her tail, dashing through the gradually collapsing dimensional tunnel. If she needs to give Onihime a ride along the way too, she will. Cat is not plesaed with having so many people on her back, but, you know. Needs must when the ghost rides.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Guardian Daifuku and Hematite have broken enough torii that the spectral glow of the eastern sky is gone now. It's just a gaping darkness, and it's time to get back to the 'safe' side of the tunnel that is topsy-turvy, bending and curling, going upside-down and inside-out, as what it was connected to is severed. Run, run, run, bakenko!<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Eventually, despite the void of nothingness that seems to be eating the road out from under their feet almost succeeding in catching them, bakeneko ''LEAPS'' dramatically, and sails through the air!<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Can Hematite, Daifuku (and maybe Onihime!?) catch the passengers as the giant cat becomes normal-sized cat abruptly, so that her momentum from being giant carries her further!?<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Yes, probably!<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;At least the damage to the street is minimal as all sign of youkai (other than bakeneko) fades away. Just a bunch of large holes along the sidewalk on both sides until they abruptly stop.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I knew you could do it." Himeko says with a smile, directed at Hematite. Yes, and the others, god, you're all so needy.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:43|Usagi Tsukino (43)}} has posed:'''<br>The ride on the bakeneko's back is too bizarre to describe - Sailor Moon has never ridden an animal in her life, and this is absolutely nothing like riding a bike. She does not like it. As soon as they are clear she toddles off, looking nauseous, and grabs onto Hematite as soon as he is in physical grabbing reach. <br><br>"Oh, I ''hate'' this," she says, and looks at Pyrite and makes a face like she wants to say something about all of this youkai business but doesn't want this all to go on too long. <br><br>"Thank you, everyone. I feel a little bad for the more innocent youkai, but we couldn't let all of this... happen."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:57|Guardian Daifuku (57)}} has posed:'''<br>Guardian Daifuku bounces back after her attack on the Torii just in case anything comes crashing down in her direction. Plus... the others inside as well had her worried. She's quite glad to see the Bakeneko come bounding out carrying Sailor Scouts as well as others. "Good kitty," she lets out with a sigh, momentarily forgetting she wasn't Guardian Daifuku when she first encountered the Bakeneko. At least it wasn't a telling remark.<br><br>"Is everyone okay? If anyone needs to recharge I can help..." Or, heck, they could just go get actual food at this rate. If anything was left open.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:145|Princess of Sarek (145)}} has posed:'''<br>Turns out that Himeko is in fact able to see the Princess of Sarek and so is Veronica able to see the ghost, despite the unnatural circumstances of it. Maybe something is happening to Himeko? The Princess of Sarek is very inclined to trust Himeko despite the only previous circumstance having been kind of odd, not only because she recognises the bakeneko, but because a certain someone's words rings familiar into her head: "an ally for the moment is still an ally."<br><br>With that, Veronica jumps onto the bakeneko, offering Himeko a smile and a wave and giving the bakeneko a few pettings while it traverses the landscape. When Hematite and Moon board the Bakeneko express, Veronica greets them too, along with asking a question. "Are you two frequently allies when it comes to these incidents? And how was this alliance formed?" Whether she gets an answer or not, the important thing is they are getting out of there.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:38|Hematite (38)}} has posed:'''<br>Hematite makes sure!! that Usagi is caught, and Venus if she wants to be -- though she's extremely good at landing -- when the bakeneko goes back to cat-sized, and then ''everyone'' is on solid ground, and he hugs Sailor Moon and leans his face briefly on her hair. "You did spectacularly well," he murmurs, and then he looks at Himeko and grins at her before sticking his tongue out. "You know it wasn't just me, are you trying to get me in trouble, baby sister?" he teases. And then he lets out a breath. "Yes-- nobody's looking, still, I think, so you can at least take your time trudging. I don't think it'd be a good idea for me to eat with you all, though." He pauses, not wanting to let go of Usagi. "So I'll leave in a minute."<br> <br>
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